The Solo Prospector Mining Guide for 3.19 - Star Citizen Mining Tutorial 

Thanks for being here! Download a copy of my latest mining charts here: redmonstergaming.com/mining-cheat-sheets/ And check out my Master Mining Cheatsheet, which now includes a loadout calculator to help estimate your combined bonuses! docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11ePuSaqORlewxuMytUplTs8r-liePE8lJOSXCafqEW0/copy

Subbed and liked. Your guide actually inspired me to get a Prospector, and give mining a serious look. Thank you for your efforts!

One other Prospector tip is to upgrade the storage to 48 UEC (from 32) by starting the personal salvage mole mission and taking them from the mole. This will cost you 10K uec and you can abandon the mission after you get the bags. Also the stock bags are applied if you need to claim the ship. But it's certainly a good way to increase your per-run returns.

Thanks Red. This is the guide I was waiting for! Just purchased a Prospector and was having a hard time

Huge work, very well explained, you are my top reference for mining. Thank you

You're the real MVP! Always at the forefront of mining! Cheers!

Thanks for this dude. Such a head start on the whole mining career.

Just started exploring mining gameplay over the weekend with the MISC Prospector I bought in-game. This series is incredibly helpful! o7

Thanks man! Short on time to test myself so this is a great boost!!!

Dude, thanks to this guide i found my perfect build, mixed with the optimax it makes for perfectly stacked runs

Hi Red. You are making a huge difference to my SC mining life, and many who mine in Star Citizen. I have seen a considerable difference in the Aaron Halo in Band 5 for "3 rock clusters" vs. single rocks. It's a significant enough difference to me to mention it here. Also, I have found that Tier 2 materials that are found in 45% or higher are FAR more likely to have 100% pure breaks, or 85%+ pure breaks. So locating Tier 2's that are north of 45, is a way to offset picking up too much Tier 3 filler, when going after Tier 2 resources. Outstanding job sir. Truly 😍 - V

Thanks! Super duper helpful video, and very thorough!

My SC mining guru 😁. Thanks a lot for your guides you are awesome 😉

Just starting in the game and wow it's a lot to learn. Glad for this because I think mining may be a start for me. Or crewing on one rather

Everything I've red tells me you are a monster of the SC community. Thanks again!

Great video. One note that I saw that you experienced but didn't address, is that the mining gadgets also seem to be bugged currently because they scale with the rock they are attached to visually. This can make it hard to calibrate, enable, and detach the devices because the UI of the device isn't being accurately represented and you have to spend quite a bit of time moving your mouse around randomly to find the interaction points. Hopefully that gets fixed as well in 3.19.1.

Darn good stuff, as a side note, if 2 rocks have the same percentage of tier 1 or 2, but the filler is iron in one and inert in the other, grab the inert one, all the lasers filter at least 30% of inert mats.

what a great job Well done !

Can’t wait to see if you make a Mole video!

I'm currently running a Hofstede + Rieger C2 (because C3 is bugged) and I'm pretty happy with it. If there's a slightly too large rock I really want to crack, I will apply a gadget that fits the particular rock.

Great job! liked and subscribed

Thanks for the update. You are great.

Solo Mole video coming? Great video, thanks.

Wait, you can stick a focus 3 in a size 1 laser? I don't know where I heard it, but I have been running under the idea that the higher modules required the size 2 lasers. This changes everything! Thanks, you absolutely have the best mining content channel. Keep it up!

Thank you good sir!

I’ve been having the most luck with the Klein 😂. Found some quant and it handled really well! I have tried the Hoft with focus III and found i was having a hard time getting rocks to crack.

Hey Red. Thanks for the vid and the cheat sheets.. If possible, it would be nice to see what the distribution percentages are based on rock mass. And then a rough idea of laser power required for that mass. I'm still new to mining, but I'm finding few space rocks that are both profitable, and crackable as a solo prospector.

I am using the distance to the rock way more then I am adjusting the power slider. It's giving me way smoother changes and adjustments.

Thanks for confirming a "gut feel" I had that the Klein S1 wasn't that flash and my own empirical observations on the Hofstede's usefulness as a solo laser (even though it is clear its primary use-case is a support laser for multi-ship / multicrew ops) Good video! Nice, concise analysis and recommendations

a very nice video and helpful

Been trying these builds you provided and they are very helpful with the Prospector. Now, will you make a video like this but for the Mole as well?

Unrelated to this video (I will comment after I watch it) when I see an ad like the one for EVE at the start of this video, where someone says something like; "This game, you're not ready for it." I immediately click skip ad. I thank them for letting me know right up front I do not want to try their game lol.

Minimal power level of a mining head for regular Prospector mining is not worth worrying about as it is easily worked around by varying your distance from the target as you have mentioned. I've proved this for myself by having been able to successfully mine gem nodes with a mass of 0.75 (ROC mineable) with the Helix mining head though the Arbor is best for this.

Thanks again! 👍🏻

The problem with the Helix 1 module for me is that additional breaks of 100% purity rocks seem impossible due to extreme sensitivity to laser instability. The charge level jumps around like crazy. Also would like to see how module changing in the field is done. Haven't been able to find the module slot on the outside of the ship to detach.

I like the Hofstede because of the cool squiggly laser

Iv aced the prospector mining now. Even the optimal distance for extraction is important

Good tutorial. I've been mining since it was first put in the game and I really like the direction it's going. Seems like the Orion will eventually fit in well. My only issue really has become the lack of motivation to be in there for now, this has been ongoing for quite a while. The game is awesome but being repeatedly punished with loss via server failure finally wore my resolve away. I'm not here to complain, just talking about the negative vibes I feel very often from the experiences and desire to not go through that anymore. Or as much anyway.

Hello from France, thanks for your video and see you soon in verse bye bye

I usually just mine right outside MIC-L5 so I don't have to quantum back and forth. It's really convenient and I can put in 5-6 work orders in an hour.

Glad to sit down and watch another mining vid while I'm at work. Any chance we'll be getting a salvaging video update soon as well?

i use the helix with 2x xtr-xl , cracking up to about 18k rocks, but right now its very hard to mine with all the 30ks

Disagree with XTR-XL module as Inert materials aren't a big deal anymore. I would go with a Focus3 over this as its just better. Otherwise very good content and thanks for your cheat sheet its a big service to the community and everyone at my Org is loving it especially as you were very early in the patch and do regular updates.

Thx nice vid! Another utuba mentioned something about clustering might be bugged and more testing is needed as gadgets towarda clustering might coz negative effects, trying to remeber who it was, anybody else heard this?

One of my biggest disappointments was early this morning when I was mining on Wala with a Hofstede S1 and Focus module. I was able to break a 12100 mass rock and break it down into some 100% Beryl. I then broke a number of smaller rocks into some more 100% Beryl. I maxed out my 32SCU with 100% Beryl, and started QT back to my Refinery. Halfway there, 30K. I was furious, but it was time for bed anyway, so I just started the retrieve of my Prospector and went to bed. I’ll go back to it tonight.

what do you think of the rented prospector? Still worth the effort to get or no?

I have tried Helix I plus Focus and Rieger modules, works until the lower 10k rocks, adding a gadget expands this. I will probably try the hofstete combo. Can you please make a video about changing components on location?

I think the nerf of the prospector has been punitive. Primarily because although you can't find anything decent to mine in a decent amount of time, the fact quantanium before had to appear in quantities that you can fill up a prospector with. The new minerals do not. Meaning if you find one, its likely unminable, and if you find something you can mine, it won't fill you up. Very negative decision made by CIG. Furthermore solo mining in a mole is significantly better now than a prospector ever would be, because you can mine larger rocks, and take 3X the quantity back than with a prospector. CIG missed badly with the changes. Also a rental prospector is 80% as good as a regular one. I rented a prospector and using mining gadgets was able to mine almost 80% of what I could with my configured prospector. Just another nail in the coffin of prospector mining. I am staying away from mining and that was all I did before. The mining gadgets not working, disappearing, and as you noted the fracture bug is just more of the issue that don't even go along with the 30k every hour that is going on. CIG did something interesting with the mining, but it is better to ROC mine than to prospector solo. If your an org you probably are getting richer than ever with the new quant prices and the fact you can mine any rock of any size with a team as i watched a full mole cut a 60k gold rock. Solo miners are left out in the cold.

Hey, are you going to do a solo mole guide? or would you consider the prospector the same as a solo mole? Thanks for the guides.

I like your guide man, it would be nice if you increase your mic volume a bit higher

great video again! I must be alone on this, but i wasn't having any fun solo with the Mole, and i returned to prospector, and i am finding it more enjoyable, despite being less capable. anyways, i have been mining asteroids belts, because it reduces the times back to and from to refinery. don't you find this appealing, efficiency wise?

You should give klein 2 another look, with a c3 i was able to pop a 33k weight 49.5% quant rock and the instability doesnt become a real issue untill secondary which the hoff handles anyway, also im talking solo setup ofc. The klein pops a ton of fat teir 1 ore rocks that even helix has trouble with

does the hofstede has really 60% optimal charge window? it does not show in the info ingame

Thanks for the great video, I have the lasers and gadgets down, I just need help figuring out the initial scan numbers out in space. I go to 3 different asteroids that come up with the number 1925 from 10km away. One has a mass of 52k, the next has a mass of 16k, and I cannot mine either one, and the 3rd has a mass of 6k and I can mine it. And it is the same for every other number I get on th initial scan. I cannot just see that it is impossible to mine from 10km away, I have to go up to every single asteroid in space and do a detailed scan.

I've been running the Helix I with a stampede and a focus III. My biggest break so far has been slightly above 20K. And yes, because of the min power limit I am having to use the toggle method on the smaller rocks. The range on the helix makes things tough, especially when you're trying to not lose your modules. I think overall the changes are a welcome addition to Mining in SC.

@RedMonsterSC : Have any of your recommendations changed, since this video was released?

How do you get rid of the inert material? Where do I sell the ore?

what is a high resistance rate (number wise)?

One thing I have been liking is the Helix Laser with the Sabir gadget. It buys back a lot of the green zone. Combined that with 1 focus and 1 Reiger, and a surge in the backpack in case you need it. It's pretty capable. You will have to feather the smaller rocks though.

Hey Red, I am a few weeks new to SC. Is solo mining with the ROC or multi-tool viable? All i have is a mustang alpha starter for now and I'd like to get into mining ideally without spending real money and I know the prospector is a few mil cred which I don't have either lol.

I'm finding more and more 'easy' rocks way below 10k mass and very reasonable resistance just refusing to be cracked. The charge level just goes up a bit, then down again and never reaches the green zone. Is this another bug or am I doing something wrong?

Just what I needed, one question though, can I start mining with the rental prospector or I still need to buy modules for it?

Informing as always. Did you happen to encounter the issue I had where the impossible rating or easy rating both lie? I had "easy" rocks not even budge with full power and "impossible " rock break with ease.

Do you recommend moon mining over halo?

So is the 27,000 credit gadget a consumable? That's my cost for each break I use it on?

do we need to consider the power plant we have equipped for each build? or does this not have any effect on mining laser performance?

Im finding that gadgets don't work at all. I put them on the rock and it just sits there telling me to put it on a mineable rock. It never turns on for me to tune. I did exactly the same as in this video and it sticks to the rock just fine like in this video.

So is it and end to a solo prospector quantainium mining?

assuming i only had the base account and wanted to do mining would it be best to just focus on renting the rock and cutlass until i save enough for a prospector? looking for any opinions

I think it's great we can use the Prospector for actual prospecting now. You break and scoop what you can while you are out looking for larger high value rocks, but a large portion of your profits come from selling the location of said rocks to larger outfits when you find them. This is a simplified version of what real prospectors do with gold and other mineral claims.

For new players/miners what's the best loadout here? The support or balanced ones?

I really didn't get on with Helix 1 so I'm back onto Hof plus Surge. Just need some bigger saddlebags. Does the trick to keep them still work?

But where do i sell the mined ore? For exampel at Area 18 everything i mined was under the "cannot sell tab".

Hi, I experienced the bug today. And the repair on the ship is 80K. So I was pondering on reclaiming the ship. But I don't know if you loose mining heads on reclaim. Have you experienced anything in that regard? Cheers

How do you increase and decrease the laser power? Mouse wheel isn't doing it as default like it used to

Sorry to ask here, but on your website, you recommended Rieger C3's on the Helix laser on a Mole, last I checked, they are still under powered compared to the C2 even in the PTU as of a few days ago and CIG has yet to acknowledge that they are aware and intend to fix, can I ask why you recommend them?

The scatter damage is not a bug. You just have to stay over the optimale range. If you go belowat any time during the charge, than the rock will explode

There's a magical thing called "Focus III" ... is it worth it? ...what can it do?

i was able to once break 14k mass roc with 35% quant in prospector was the best day of my life unitl the game 30k during my delivery

I've had multiple occurrences with different load-outs where I can get into the green zone but if I take too long converting it, the laser power goes to zero and I can not get it back up again. I haven't heard anyone have this experience. Is it just me?

Hi Red, Im totally new to mining, what percentage s of the tier 1 ores should I be looking for in rocka to crck?

Do these builds still work for 3.21? Great Video thank you :)

I need an updated mining guide for 3.20. CIG keeps changing stuff

Don't forget, as of 3.19.1 update, you can still taek an Argo Mole and swap out the 4 Prospector mining bags (32 SCU max capacitiy) with 4 of the Argo Mole bags (48 SCU max cargo now on your prospector!!). They are actually the same size so once you unlock ports, you can increase ur carrying capacitiy out while mining.

Has anyone determined a correlation between scanning signatures (RS Signatures) and asteroid types? Like does a 1720 RS signature = Taranite / Iron? Just curious.

Anyone having issues with the optimax being small after using it? I can't even properly interact with it after the first time I use it.

Helix 1 with Focus 3 and Rieger C3 for me.

Is it possible to bring a 2nd mining head in the Prospector? Or would it be too big to fit through the door?

ty bro

I keep flipping over when mining and I don’t know how to stop it Pls help

The biggest issue I have currently is that when I use the scroll wheel to increase the power to the laser it just keeps resetting the power back to default. Not sure if this is a bug.

Well, that explains why my borrowed MOLE keeps coming back with more damage than the load was worth. Ugh...

Where can i buy the Surge Module?

Can you use a bore max and optimax on the same rock?

Is it possible to make a profit on a rented Prospector as you can’t change parts?

The laser intensitivity resets to 5% the whole time on my prospector so i cant mine anything is there a solution to this?

Prospect Mining in the Halo is a crock. I use the Hofstead and it'll break up to 15k then won't touch the fragments as the resistance has doubled to silly levels yet the band is green and it says easy. Today nothing would enter the saddlebags. I use to enjoy mining in the Halo, but not any more. CIG have really screwed mining for me

Emotional support laser. I snorted. Everyone looked at me. Lol.

Loosin all mining modules on mole last night cost 540,000 Auec so much for 3 hours of profit

Awesome guide but the title is a little misleading. Nothing was said about how to find the rocks, or the new scanning methods. I feel that's important with the big change they made. Or even whats worth grabbing.